The Kansas Supreme Court has seven seats, and as of 2026 six of them are filled. The current Kansas Supreme Court justices are Chief Justice Eric Rosen, Dan Biles, Caleb Stegall, Melissa Taylor Standridge, K.J. Wall, and Larkin Walsh. The seventh seat is vacant following the retirement of Justice Marla Luckert on March 28, 2026, and the governor will fill it through the state’s merit selection process.1Kansas Judicial Branch. Supreme Court
Who Sits on the Court Right Now
Chief Justice Eric Rosen was first appointed in 2005 and took over as chief justice in January 2026.2Kansas Judicial Branch. Justice Eric S. Rosen Justice Dan Biles has served since 2009 and Justice Caleb Stegall since 2014. Justices Melissa Taylor Standridge and K.J. Wall both joined in 2020. The newest member, Justice Larkin Walsh, was appointed by Governor Laura Kelly on August 7, 2025 to fill the seat left open by Justice Evelyn Wilson’s resignation.3Governor of Kansas. Governor Kelly Appoints Attorney Larkin Walsh to Fill Vacancy on Kansas Supreme Court
Former Chief Justice Marla Luckert, who had served since 2003, announced her retirement effective March 28, 2026.4Kansas Judicial Branch. Justice Marla Luckert to Retire March 28 Until the governor names her replacement, the court operates with six justices.
How the Chief Justice Is Chosen
Kansas does not run a separate selection for chief justice. The position goes automatically to the sitting justice with the longest continuous service on the court. When two justices have served the same length of time, the older of the two becomes chief. A justice may decline the role without giving up the seat, in which case it passes to the next most senior justice.5Kansas Secretary of State. Kansas Constitution Article 3 – Judicial
That seniority rule is why Eric Rosen became chief in 2026 after Marla Luckert stepped down from the role ahead of her retirement. The same rule fills temporary absences: if the chief justice cannot perform the duties, the next most senior justice steps in.
How a Justice Reaches the Kansas Supreme Court
Kansas fills supreme court vacancies through merit selection, not partisan elections. When a seat opens, the Supreme Court Nominating Commission reviews applicants and sends three names to the governor, who selects one.6Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Constitution Article 3 Section 5 – Selection of Justices of the Supreme Court
The Nominating Commission
The commission has nine members. Each of Kansas’s four congressional districts supplies one lawyer member, elected by the lawyers of that district, and one non-lawyer member, appointed by the governor. The ninth seat is a lawyer who chairs the commission and is elected by attorneys statewide.7Kansas Judicial Branch. Supreme Court Nominating Commission
The Governor’s 60 Days
Once the commission delivers its three nominees, the governor has 60 days to appoint one of them. If the governor does not act within that window, the chief justice makes the selection instead.6Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Constitution Article 3 Section 5 – Selection of Justices of the Supreme Court
h2>Retention Elections
Appointed justices do not serve for life. Each faces the voters on a “yes or no” retention ballot with no opposing candidate. The first retention vote falls at the general election after the justice’s first full year in office; a majority “yes” earns a full six-year term, and another retention vote follows every six years after that.8Justia. Kansas Constitution Article 3 – Judicial
If voters reject a justice, the seat opens at the end of the term and the nominating commission process starts over. No Kansas Supreme Court justice has been removed through a retention election, though contested retention campaigns have at times drawn significant public attention and spending.
Who Qualifies to Serve
Article 3, Section 7 of the Kansas Constitution sets two baseline requirements: a candidate must be at least 30 years old and authorized by the Kansas Supreme Court to practice law in the state.9Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Constitution Article 3 Section 7 – Qualifications of Justices and Judges On top of that, K.S.A. 20-105 requires a nominee to have been engaged in the active and continuous practice of law for at least ten years before the appointment.10Kansas Judicial Branch. Application for Position on Kansas Supreme Court
Mandatory Retirement at 75
Kansas law requires all judges, justices included, to retire at age 75. A justice who turns 75 during a term may finish that term but cannot begin a new one.11Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. K.S.A. 20-2608 Earlier retirement is available at age 65, or at 62 with at least ten years of credited service. Because of the age cap, both Justice Biles and Chief Justice Rosen will have to retire at the end of the terms during which they turn 75.
How a Justice Can Be Removed
Beyond retention votes, Kansas has two other ways to remove a justice. The Kansas Commission on Judicial Conduct investigates complaints against judges at every level. It can admonish a judge, issue a cease-and-desist order, or recommend that the Supreme Court formally discipline or compel the retirement of a judge.12Kansas Judicial Branch. Published Judicial Discipline Cases
For the most serious misconduct, the Kansas Constitution allows impeachment. The House of Representatives holds the sole power to impeach, the Senate conducts the trial, and conviction requires a two-thirds vote of sitting senators. The grounds are treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.13Justia. Kansas Constitution Article 2 – Legislative No Kansas Supreme Court justice has been impeached.